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Traditional Venetian dishes may be less colorful or spectacular than those found in the Mediterranean area, but they are certainly every bit as tasty and inviting. A well-known dish of Venetian origin is carpaccio, a recent innovation introduced by Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of Harry's Bar, but there's much, much more. Due to its role in international trade, Venice became a hub of commercial activity and international gastronomy, which it often incorporated into its own cuisine. Voyagers returning from the New World brought turkey, along with the corn which soon became polenta and the beans which gave rise to the basic but divine pasta e fagioli. 
In true cosmopolitan fashion, the seafaring Venetians borrowed many culinary habits and ingredients from their neighbors: baccalà (a dish prepared with dried cod, especially good served mantecato), cookies, waffles and innovative ways of preparing every sort of fish and mollusc. Also incorporated into the local cuisine were grains and produce like rice (try the famous squid risotto and risi e bisi, consisting of rice and peas) and red radicchio, which is marvellous either grilled or in risotto. Another unforgettable Venetian dish is Fegato alla Veneziana con Cipolle (Venetian liver and onions-- excellent). For a refined and sophisticated evening meal or aperitif in a setting where the eye is as well-served as the palate, the restaurants of the historic Hotel Gritti (in Campo Santa Maria del Giglio) with terraces overlooking the Canal Grande is the obvious choice. The famous hotel has been frequented over the years by Churchill, Grace Kelly, Hemingway, Chaplin, and Mastroianni. Another excellent choice is the recently renovated Hotel Europa & Regina (San Marco 2159); or the Danieli (Riva Schiavoni 4196) with its view onto the lagoon where Dickens, Wagner, Proust are counted among its famous guests. 
There's also Harry's Dolci, famous for its well-laden dessert cart, which offers a view of the barges at Giudecca, near the Sant'Eufemia steamboat stop. The very finest in cookies, cakes, pies and veneziane are without doubt to be found at the Marchini pastry shop, at Ponte San Maurizio (San Marco). Ice cream is a must in Venice-- and then only at Causin's, in Campo Santa Margherita (Dorsoduro) or Paolin's in Campo Santo Stefano. |
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